Beet topping attachment for beet pullers



June 2l, 1932. G. H. sEELlNGER BEET TOPPING ATTACHMENT FOR BEET PULL'ERSFild Feb. 9. 1931 device which can Patented June .21, 1932 UNITED STATESPATENT oFFicr.

GLENN H. SEELINGER, 0F GREELEY, COLORADO Application filed February 9,1931. Serial No. 514,553. i

This invention relates to a topping attachment for sugar beet liftingand pulling machines. The principal 'object of this invention is toprovide a simple and highly eiicient be attached to the frame of thepresent type of beet lifters or pullersand which will eiliciently anduniformly top the beets in advance of the pulling o'r lifting operation.

Another object of theinvention is to so construct-the device that thetops will b e discharged to the sides of the row leaving the beetsclearly exposed for piling.

A further object of the invention is to provide a topper of thischaracter the operation of which will not be interfered with by theleaves and stalks of the beets.

A still furtherrobJect of this 'invention is to provide an automaticadjustment in a device of this characterl kwhich will raise and lowerthe cutting knife according to the depth orprojection of the beet topabove the ground level so that all beets will be uniformly toppedregardless of their positionfin the round. n f

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of theinvention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and eficiency.These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention reference is hadto the accompanying drawing which forms a parthereof. Like numeralsreferto like parts in all views of the .l drawing and throughoutthedescription.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 illustrates in broken line a typical beet lifter or puller and insolid line the improved topping attachment.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the topping attachment. V

Fig. 3 is a front view of the blade portion of the attachment. This viewis taken on the line 3,43', Fig. 1.

f Figfi is a detail view illustrating the construction of the guideroller employed in the device. 'A 'A f Fig. 5 is a. detail view ofthecutting blade,

lillustrating its position with reference to the beet row.

-tained in spaced relation by means of The frame of a typical beetlifter or puller is indicated 'at 10 with its lifting blades at 11.Typical sugar beets are indicated at 12.

The operation of the usual lifter orlpuller is well understood, themachine is simply drawn along the rows so that the lifting blades 11will engage each side of the beets and lift them from the ground'. Thebeets may be simply lifted and left protruding, or may be completelypulled and left lying along the row. This invention attaches to theframe 10 ahead of the blades 11 so that before the beets 12 are liftedor pulled the tops will be cut therefrom.

The. invention comprises a pair of framel blocks 13 adapted to beclamped or otherwise secured to the frame 10 by means of suitableattachment bolts 14. The blocks 13 support a lateral shaft 15 across andabove the frame 10. The shaft may be maintained in position by means ofcotter pins y29 or similar devices.

A pair of arms 16 depend from and are hinged orpivoted upon the shaft15. v Spacing Vwashers 30 are provided to properly position the arms onthe shaft 15. The arms 16 are braced from each other and mainanysuitable spacers or cross .bracingl 17. The arms 16 and the. bracing 17form what might be termed a roller frame.` A V shaped, top-parting bar28 extends forwardly from the arms 16.

A roller shaft 18 extends between the lower extremities of the arms 16yand provides a bearing shaft for a relatively heavy aligning roller 19.The aligning roller is journalled f upon rollerv bearings 20 about theshaft 18. Suitable packing 21 and packing nuts 22 are provided toprevent vthe aecess of dirt and grit to bearings 20 and to maintain thegrease or other lubricant therein. A central guide fla-nge 23 surrounds'the mid portion of the aligning roller 19.

A bracket member or bracket arm 24 is attached adjacent the upperportion of each arm 16, as shown at 25. The bracket members extend firstrearwardly and outwardly, then are bent to extend forwardly andinnwardly terminating in an attachmentto aA 4therethrough This allows theon a slant and be `ofydrag upon the machine.

the relative positionVV between the cutting blade 26 and the aligningroller 19 is always maintained uniform.

In use, the parting bar 28 will act to part or separate the leaves andstems of the beets to each side so as toallow the aligning roller 19 toenter therebetween and roll over the top of the beet'. As before stated,the roller 19 is comparatively heavy. Its weight in addition to theweight of the attached members causes it to crush the leaves and stemsdown, against the beet top so that it can accurately align the cuttingknife therewith. Immediately after the roller 19 hasy rolled upon' oneof the beets 12 the cutting blade 26 will enter the beet in spacedrelation to the position of the roller 19 and sever the top therefrom.After the blade has entered the beet it will maintain :its horizontalcutting position until it has passed-completely regardless of the factthat the roller 19 may have left the beet.

Should a low beet be encountered the aligning roller will drop andproperly lower Vthe cutting blade. Should a high beet be encountered theroller will rise and raise the cutting blade so that all the beets willbe uniformly topped re ardless of their position. After the topsave'been severed from the beets they will be thrown to the side of therow by the plates 27'.

It is desired to call attention to culiar design and positioning of thecutting knife 26; VThis knife is formed of compara-` tively thin,tempered steel or similar material so that it will enter and passthrough the beet without exerting a wedging action to break-or tear thetop therefrom. It is also constructed in a V-shaped design with one legof'the V longer than the otherl leg, as illustrated more in detail in Fig. 5. The long legis designed to do the majority of the cutting. Itwill be noted that the blade is so positioned that the apex of the Vcomes toward one side of the centerline of the beet row, indicated bythe line A-A, Fig. 5. long leg to enter the beet pushed throughdiagonally which'Y greatly facilitates a smooth cleancut withoutbreakage and with a minimum This also provides va greater bearinofsurface on the beet for the vsupport of t e topping structure thepeafter the roller has left thetop. The peripheral guide flange 23 issharpened and enframeY swingingly rear of said roller; and a ters thebeet top. It acts to accurately guide the knife through the beet andprevents either the beet or the knife from moving to one side.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described andillustrated herein, it is desired to be understood that the same may bevaried, Within lthe scope of the appended claims, without departing fromthe spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired securedby Letters Patent is 1. A topping attachment for a beet lifter of thetype having a frame comprising: a pair of blocks; means for attachingsaid 4blocks to said frame; a lateral shaft supported by said blocksacross said frame; a roller frame swlnglngly mounted on said shaft andextending downwardly and rear` wardly therefrom; a roller journalled insaid roller frame; bracket armssecured adjacent the upper portion ofsaidl roller frame and curving to a position immediately 1n the rear ofsaid roller; a blade extending between their.

pair of blocks; means for attaching said blocks to said frame; a lateralshaft supported by said blocksacross said frame; a roller mounted onsaid shaft and extending downwardly and rearwardly therefrom; a rollerjournalled in said roller frame bracket arms secured adjacent the upperportion of said roller frame and curving to a position immediately inthe rear of said roller; a blade extending between the lowerex-ftremities of said bracket arms and positioned a predetermineddistance below and to the curved plate supported by each of said bracketarms, said plates curving outwardly and upwardly from a positionimmediatelyin the rear of said blade so as to direct the severed tops tothe side. f

3. A blade for beet topping devices comprising: a relatively narrow,thin, V-shaped, blade-like member adapted to be positioned with its apexforwardly and to one side ofthe Vcenter line of the beets to be topped,one leg of the V being relatively long, said latter leg adapted to crosssaid center line.

4. A topping attachment for the frame of a beet lifterY comprising: a.lateral shaft arranged to extend across said frame; means for supportingthe extremities of saidv shaft from said frame; a pair of arms extendingdownwardly vand rearwardly from said shaft and arranged to pivotthereon; brace members arranged'to maintain said arms in parallel,spaced relation; a roller shaft extending between the lower extremitiesof said arms; a

the type having a frame comprising: aV

roller mounted on said latter shaft; a bracket member secured adjacentthe upper portion of each arm said bracket members extending firstrearwardly, thence downwardly and forwardly so as to terminate below andat the rear of said roller and a relatively nar row V-shaped cuttingblade extending forwardly from one of said members and returningrearwardly to the other member.

5. A topping attachment for the frame of a beet lifter comprising: alateral shaft arranged to extend across said frame; means for supportingthe extremities of said shaft from said frame; a pair of arms extendingdownwardly and rearwardly from said shaft and arranged to pivot thereon;brace mem` bers arranged to maintain said arms in parallel, spacedrelation; a roller shaft extending between the lower extremities of saidarms; a roller mounted on said latter shaft; a bracket member attachedadiacent the upper `portion of each arm, said bracket member extendingfirst rearwardly and outwardly, thence forwardly and inwardly so as toterminate immediately in the rear of and below said roller and arelatively narrow, thin, V-shaped horizontally placed cutting bladeextending between the extremities of said arms and forwardly therefromto a position under said roller.

6. A topping attachment for the frame of a beet lifter comprising: alateral shaft arranged to extend across said frame; means for supportingthe extremities of said shaft from said frame; a pair of arms extendingdownwardly and rearwardly from said shaft and arranged to pivot thereon;brace members arranged to maintain said arms in parallel, spacedrelation; a roller shaft extending between the lower extremities of saidarms; a roller mounted on said latter shaft; a bracket member attachedadjacent the upper portion of each arm, said bracket members extendingfirst rearwardly and outwardly, thence forwardly and inwardly so as toterminate immediately in the rear of and below said roller and arelatively narrow, thin V- shaped horizontally placed cutting bladeextending between the extremities of said arms and forwardly therefromto a position under said roller; and a plate secured to each of saidarms, said plates arranged to approach each other at a pointimmediatelyr back of said cutting blade and inclined outwardly from eachother.

In testimony whereof, I

alx my signature. GLENN I-I.

SEELINGER.

